Brave
by Sam1
Summary: Scott and John have a talk. Gordon does what he does best. Wee-Tracy. Happy Birthday, Loopstagirl!


**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Tracys, International Rescue, or the Thunderbirds.

**A/N**: Loopsta, it's that time of year again…Happy Birthday!

**Brave **

Leaning against the rough bark of the tree, the young boy watched his brothers run wild through the family's property. "One. Two. Three." He glanced around looking for the familiar blond head of his brother. Not seeing him anywhere, he whistled sharply, getting Virgil's attention. As well as Gordon's. "Have you seen, Johnny?"

"I reckon he's curled up reading a book, Scotty. He don't tussle with us 'cause he likes books better," the red-head said, shrugging his shoulders. "It's a right shame that he's missing out on all this fun out here."

"He's not missing out if he's doing something that makes him happy, Gordy," Virgil said, ever protective of his younger and very quiet brother. "Not everyone wants to tussle all the time."

"But, Virgy, he never wants to tussle," Gordy argued. "All he wants to do is read and look at the stars."

"So? All you want to do is play and swim."

"Yeah, but that's fun," the younger boy argued.

"To you but not to Johnny or me," Virgil countered. "We like to do stuff that interests us that makes us different to you."

"Blah blah blah. Don't talk so growed up, Virgy, it makes you boring." With that, the younger brother ran off to find the youngest Tracy brother.

Virgil stared after his younger brother and blew out a harsh breath and muttered, "I ain't boring, you little brat."

"Just ignore him, Virg. You'll be the first one he seeks out when Alan annoys him and he wants someone else to play with," Scott said. "Can you keep an eye on the Terrible Two while I try and find our other younger brother?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Virgil took up Scott's place against the tree and watched his brothers run amok. "You think those two have been sneaking into Grandma's stash of candy again?"

Shaking his head, Scott sighed, "I sure hope not because it'll take forever them to crash. Holler for me if they get to be too much."

"Go on and find Johnny. I've got the monsters."

* * *

Leaning back against the house, the quiet boy could watch his brothers play and hear everything they said. His little hiding spot afforded him the privacy he needed yet let him be near his family which he also needed. He'd just gotten to an interesting part of his book when he heard a sharp whistle. Scooting up a bit, he pushed aside a few of the leafy branches of the bushes that lined the side of the house.

He knew that whistle was his oldest brother's attention seeking whistle. He could see Scott sitting down with his back against the old tree. _"Have you seen, Johnny?"_

Gordon and Virgil had stopped running around the back yard at Scott's whistle. Alan was somewhere…Gordon had probably convinced him to go hide and forgot to seek him. Again. His next youngest brother was forever doing that to Alan and yet the youngest brother continued to keep playing hide-and-seek with him. Lost in his thoughts of what Gordon did to Alan, he missed part of what Gordon said to Scott.

"_It's a right shame that he's missing out on all this fun out here." _

He shook his head and thought, "I'm not missing any fun. I'm right here."

He was almost on his feet when Virgil spoke up. _"He's not missing out if he's doing something that makes him happy, Gordy._ _Not everyone wants to tussle all the time."_

"I can tussle if I have a mind to, Gordon Cooper Tracy. I just like to read more," the blond muttered, his blue eyes pooling with tears. He wished he could just go out there and say what he really wanted to say. He had the words due to his intelligence but he just wasn't brave enough to confront anyone…Not even his little brother. Scooting back, he settled against the house again and sighed. "One day, I'm gonna to say what I want to say and be brave like Daddy, Scotty, and Virgy. I'm gonna stop letting that darn cat get my tongue all the time."

"Johnny?" Silence met his question. "C'mon, Johnny, I know you're in there. I heard you."

"Stupid little brothers."

Scott heard the hurt and just a touch of anger in his brother's words. "You coming out or you gonna make me crawl in there? You know I will."

"I ain't coming out."

"Fine then I'm coming in and if you get squished then that's your fault." Scott immediately crawled through the bushes. He looked around and nodded. "Nice little hiding spot, Johnny."

"It was," Johnny muttered.

"It still is, Johnny," Scott said, looking around.

Shaking his head, Johnny looked at his shoes.

Scott reached over and tapped his brother's leg. "I heard what you said about wanting to say what you want to say and being brave like Dad, me, and Virg. I'm going to tell you something, Johnny, Virg and I haven't always been able to say what we want to say and we still hesitate at times. We're kids but we're learning that it's okay that we don't have to run from people but we don't have to hold our tongue. We can say what we want to say. We can do it politely and with respect but we don't have to be silent. I know you're the quietest of all of us but I want you to be able to say what you want to say, too. I don't want you to stay silent 'cause that isn't always good either. One day, Johnny, I'm gonna see you be brave and hear what you want to say."

Johnny dragged his finger in the dirt and thought about what his brother was saying. "Scotty, is it okay that I don't like to tussle as much as I like to read?"

"Yeah, it's okay that you like to read more. Just like it's okay that Virgil likes to paint and play the piano more than he likes to read. Just like it's okay that our resident fish likes to swim more than he likes to do anything else. We're all different and we're going to enjoy different hobbies more than others."

"But it's okay if we do other things when we feel like it, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Would you hold my book for me?"

"Um, sure. Johnny, that look on your face is scaring me just a bit."

Crawling out from his hiding spot, Johnny caught his next youngest brother as he ran past. Scott heard Gordon's yelp of surprise. He hadn't even known that the red-head was nearby. Crawling out as from the hiding spot as quick as he could, he heard Virgil and Alan cheering Johnny over Gordon's cries of "get off of me".

"I reckon when I want to tussle I want to win. To win is to use one's strength and mine is my intelligence." Winking at his oldest brother, Johnny grinned. "But sometimes being bigger is a help, too." Flexing his fingers, he made sure that his brother could see what he was doing before he commenced with tickle torture.

Laughing hysterically, Gordon tried to get away from Johnny. "I give. I give."

Leaning down so that his brother could hear him, Johnny whispered, "I like to read, Gordy, and I like being around my family. I reckon I can do both when I have a mind to." Johnny looked up and saw Scott.

Scott stood back and nodded, mouthing, "Be honest and say what you need to say."


End file.
